Barnes & Noble Opens New Store in Minnetonka

Author William Kent Krueger to Host Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony and Book Signing at the Grand Opening at 9AM on Wednesday, August 20^th, 2025

Minnetonka, MN – August 13, 2025 – Barnes & Noble is thrilled to announce the opening of its new Minnetonka, MN bookstore on Wednesday, August 20^th. The new Barnes & Noble is a relocation of the retailer’s Ridgehaven Shopping Center location which closed last month. The new space will offer over 18,000 square feet of books, toys, games, magazines, gift items and more. It is located in WestRidge Market (11500 Wayzata Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55305) next to Michaels, in the space formerly occupied by Staples.

The new Barnes & Noble bookstore will officially open to the public at 9AM CT on Wednesday the 20^th, with bestselling author William Kent Krueger cutting the ribbon and signing copies of his books. Customers who attend the signing will have early access to his latest, Apostle’s Cove, nearly two weeks ahead of its official release.

Krueger’s Cork O’Connor series, set in the north woods of Minnesota, has received numerous awards, including the Minnesota Book Award, the Loft-McKnight Fiction Award, the Anthony Award, the Barry Award, the Dilys Award, and the Friends of American Writers Prize. His standalone novels, including the Edgar Award-winning Ordinary Grace, are also set in Minnesota, the state he’s called home for the last 45 years.

“Our booksellers have been hard at work to ensure that we can open this beautiful new Barnes & Noble as soon as possible,” said James Daunt, CEO of Barnes & Noble. “Now, less than a month after closing our previous location, they are eager to welcome customers into their brand-new Minnetonka Barnes & Noble.”

Barnes & Noble is enjoying a period of tremendous growth as the strategy to hand control of each bookstore to its local booksellers has proven so successful. The bookseller is experiencing strong sales in its existing stores and has been opening many new stores after more than 15 years of declining store numbers. In 2024, Barnes & Noble opened more new bookstores in a single year than it had in the whole decade from 2009 to 2019. The bookseller expects to open over 60 new bookstores in 2025.

The Minnetonka location is one of five new Barnes & Noble bookstores set to open in August, alongside new stores in Kansas, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Texas. Each grand opening has drawn enthusiastic crowds that wrap around the building, filling the store as the ribbon is cut.

The design of the Minnetonka store showcases the ambition of Barnes & Noble to create exceptional local bookstores that marry the best traditions of independent bookselling with the resources of the historic chain. The new Minnetonka Barnes & Noble will cover over 18,000 square feet, including a B&N Café, and carry all the best books, as well as a wide range of toys, games and the usual paper and gifting items found at Barnes & Noble.

“I am excited to be moving into a brand-new space in WestRidge Market,” said Store Manager Rachel Lynch, Barnes & Noble bookseller of six years. “We have been a part of the Minnetonka community since 1991 and look forward to continuing the tradition of helping customers find their favorite books in our new store!”

Customers can discover more about upcoming events and news by following @bnminnetonka on social media.

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